Summer is finally here! Enjoy but don't forget to protect your skin.
When summer finally appears, it’s tempting to bare all and let the sun work its magic. But when skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the world, it really isn’t worth the risk (seriously, always wear a quality, broad-spectrum SPF in the sun).
While you should avoid getting sunburnt in the first place – if you have overdone it in the sun, I have some advice:
1. Cover Up
“If you’ve accidentally burned your skin in the sun, cover up the affected areas and stay in the shade until your sunburn has healed.”
2. Let Skin Breathe
“Wear loose cotton clothing that allows your skin to ‘breathe’ over the sunburnt areas.”
3. Take Pain Relief
“If you’re in pain, analgesia or painkillers can help relieve this and reduce inflammation caused by sunburn. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen are ideal and should be continued for a period of at least 48 hours if there are no contraindications. Paracetamol will help with pain but has little effect on inflammation.”
4. Apply A Cool Compress
“Apply a towel dampened with cool water for 15 minutes, or take a cool bath or shower. Aim to keep the temperature just below luke-warm and make sure the shower has a gentle flow of water rather than being on full power. If blisters are starting to develop, then a bath is preferable.”
5. Practice Shower After-Care
“Do not rub your skin with a towel, but gently pat it dry. After a bath or shower, use an unperfumed cream or lotion to soothe the skin. Applications of this are necessary to reduce the appearance of peeling and this may need to be continued for several weeks.
“Gels or lotions containing aloe vera or soy can be beneficial in soothing the skin. Aloe vera not only has a cooling effect on the skin but also acts as an anti-inflammatory. Be wary of using creams or lotions that contain petroleum, benzocaine, or lidocaine, as these can trap heat in the skin or cause local skin irritation.”
6. Consider A Steroid Cream
“Using a weak steroid cream such as 0.5-1% hydrocortisone for 48 hours may decrease pain and swelling caused by sunburn and speed up the healing process, however this is best avoided for small children.”
7. See A Dermatologist
“If you’re at all concerned about the possible damage the sun has done to your skin, make an appointment to see your dermatologist who can assess and advise you appropriately.”
Once you have taken steps to treat and care for your sunburnt skin, here’s how to minimise the redness.
If you’ve got a burnt nose…
The key to covering a red nose is colour correction. Apply a green colour corrector on any redness before applying concealer. It will neutralise warm tones and create a better base for your concealer.
If you’ve got sunglass marks…
The dreaded panda eyes. Add liquid bronzer or tinting drops to your usual foundation to take it a few shades darker. Blend into the pale areas around your eyes and onto your cheeks.
If you’ve got strap marks…
Apply instant tan to a BeautyBlender or make-up sponge and bounce onto the areas that are looking pale to fill in the lines.